The mammalian body includes a number of subdivision systems: respiration, circulatory, lymph, gastrointestinal tract and urinary system. The lungs are the essential organs inherent within the respiration system in many air-breathing animals, including most tetrapods, a few fish and a few snails. In mammals and the more complex life forms, the two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart.
The principal function of the respiratory system is to transport oxygen from the atmosphere into the bloodstream, and to release carbon dioxide from the bloodstream into the atmosphere. This exchange of gases is accomplished in the mosaic of specialized cells that form millions of tiny, exceptionally thin-walled air sacs called alveoli.
Two types of fluids move through the circulatory system: blood and lymph. The blood, heart, and blood vessels are components of the cardiovascular system. The lymph, lymph nodes, and lymph vessels are components of the lymphatic system. The cardiovascular system and the lymphatic system collectively make up the circulatory system
The gastrointestinal tract refers to the stomach and intestine, and sometimes to all the structures from the mouth to the anus. (The “digestive system” is a broader term that includes other structures, including the accessory organs of digestion). The tract may also be divided into foregut, midgut, and hindgut, reflecting the embryological origin of each segment of the tract. The GI tract discharges hormones as to help control the digestion process. These hormones, including gastrin, secretin, cholecystokinin, and grehlin, are mediated through either intracrine or autocrine mechanisms, distinguishing that the cells releasing these hormones are conserved structures throughout evolution.
The main organs of the urinary system are the kidneys. This is important because the kidneys' main role is to filter water-soluble waste products from the blood. The kidneys attach at their functional endpoints to the ureters, which lie more medial and run down to the trigone of urinary bladder.
Many deaths have been reported due to the buildup of harmful substances such as: mucus, fluids and other material within the body. There is a continuing need for improvement with respect to methods of analysis and removal of the substances. More suitable systems and devices are needed for executing procedures, preferably improvements that do not require major surgery, or continued use of drugs and which may be used on higher risk patients than what conventional methods and surgery currently allows. Various devices, methods and procedures have been heretofore proposed to remove mucus, fluids, and/or other substances from diversified locations within the human body. These devices and methods include: aspirators, suction tubes and containers for insertion into a body cavity of a patient.
Particular methods have included a procedure of generating an aerosol suspension of respirable solid, dry particulate amiloride, a suctioning device is provided for use in elimination of fluid mucus. Additional methods constitute administering a physiologically acceptable salt to at least one lung of the subject in an amount effective to hydrate lung mucus secretions therein.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,925, Rosenblatt illustrates an aspirator that includes two closed containers with one container having a suction tube connected to a closed bellows within the container for creating a vacuum, and the second container having a patient tube for insertion into the body cavity of a patient for sucking removal of mucus and other excess bodily fluids by the vacuum, with the two containers being connected for gaseous communication.
Ng indicates in U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,386, a suctioning device is provided for use in elimination of fluid mucus from the trachea and nostrils of a newborn infant, to prevent aspiration of such fluid into the infant's lungs before first breath. The device includes a vertically, longitudinally, upright container having a bottom wall with an opening therein to pass mucus into the container via a tubular catheter, and a top cap with an opening therein to pass suction air from the container interior toward a suction mouthpiece; a baffle or baffles in the container to intercept upward flow of mucus toward the top cap; a duct in the container to receive flow of mucus via the opening sin the bottom wall, the duct having an outlet end located to eject mucus to fall in a generally downward direction in the container, below the baffle; and a filter or filter above the duct to filter air being sucked from the container interior toward the mouthpiece via the top cap opening. The filter and one part of the baffle are typically carried by the top cap for endwise insertion downwardly into the container upper extent, the bottom wall is typically defined by a bottom cap received in the container, and the duct and a second part of the baffle are typically carried by the bottom cap for endwise insertion upwardly into lower end extent of the container.
Boucher describes a method of removing retained mucus secretions from the lungs of a human subject in U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,842. The patent denotes a method of generating an aerosol suspension of respirable solid, dry particulate amiloride, wherein said solid particulate amiloride is comprised of particles of about 1 to 5 microns, wherein said aerosol suspension is free of liquid amiloride particles; and then delivering by inhalation said aerosol suspension of respirable solid particulate amiloride to the respiratory system of said subject in an amount sufficient to achieve concentrations of amiloride on the airway surfaces of said subject of from about 10−7 to 10−3 Moles/liter, wherein the daily dose of said solid particulate amiloride is from about 1 to about 20 milligrams, and wherein said solid particulate amiloride is comprised of particles of about 1 to 5 microns, and whereby said secretions are hydrated and transported from the lung via mucociliary action.
Boucher, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,567, describes a method of facilitating the obtaining of a mucus sample from at least one lung of a subject comprises administering a physiologically acceptable salt to at least one lung of the subject in an amount effective to hydrate lung mucus secretions therein, and concurrently administering to said at least one lung of the subject, in an amount effective to hydrate lung mucous secretions therein, uridine triphosphate, an active analog thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of either thereof. Pharmaceutical compositions useful for carrying out the method comprise, in combination, a physiologically acceptable salt, and uridine triphosphate, an active analog thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of either thereof. The composition may be a liquid composition or a dry powder composition.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,481, Pon describes a method for the rapid estimation of hyperplastic and hypertrophic changes in animal airways is an assay which specifically measures acidic and neutral mucoproteins in a linear fashion from 0.5 to at least 10 μg. The assay comprises exposure of a test animal to a suspected metaplastic inducer, removal of the lungs, homogenization in an appropriately buffered solution containing reducing agents and protease inhibitors; removal of particulate matter; and size-fractionation of the SDS treated soluble extract. The high molecular weight material is immobilized and stained for either acidic or neutral mucosubstances and the specific staining is quantitated. The changes observed are consistent with those seen in histological sections of the exposed tissues. The assay is useful in confirming the metaplastic potential of suspected compounds, in determining what neurohumoral mediator(s) are involved in mucus cell metaplasia in animal models for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and in identifying compounds which might ameliorate these effects.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,223, Baran describes a nebulizing catheter system and methods of use and manufacture of an apparatus for delivering a medicine to a patient via the patient's respiratory system with control and efficiency. A nebulization catheter is positioned in the patient's respiratory system so that a distal end of the nebulization catheter is in the respiratory system and a proximal end is outside the body. In a first aspect, the nebulization catheter may be used in conjunction with an endotracheal tube and preferably is removable from the endotracheal tube. The nebulization catheter conveys medicine in liquid form to the distal end at which location the medicine is nebulized by a pressurized gas or other nebulizing mechanism. The nebulized medicine is conveyed to the patient's lungs by the patient's respiration which may be assisted by a ventilator. By producing the aerosol of the liquid medicine at a location inside the patient's respiratory system, the nebulizing catheter provides for increased efficiency and control.
Boucher describes in U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,527, a method of hydrating lung mucus secretions in the lungs of a subject in need of such treatment, comprising administering to the lungs of the subject a compound of a formula he indicates in the patent or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in an amount sufficient to hydrate lung mucus secretions.
Boucher, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,247, describes a method of facilitating the obtaining of a mucus sample from at least one lung of a subject.
Boucher, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,214,536, describes a method of facilitating the obtaining of a mucus sample from at least one lung of a subject.
Shapiro, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,949, illustrates an automatic mucus removal device for extracting mucus from a nasal cavity includes a transportable housing which encases a compact vacuum source connected to a power source, and to which a disposable mucus trap member is removably attached. The housing includes a base portion and a barrel portion, with the mucus trap member preferably attached to one end of the barrel portion. An ejection rod is resiliently mounted to the opposing end of the barrel portion, with the ejection rod operable to expel the mucus trap member from the housing. The user therefore is not required to contact the mucus trap member or the mucus associated with it, and the mucus trap member may be disposed of or cleaned as desired.
Kumasaki, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,986,757, characterizes a suction connector, comprising a fluid passage (31) having one end to be connected to a conduit and the other end to be connected to a suction source when in use and a ventilating passage (32) branched in the middle of the fluid passage and having an opening end (33), wherein a blocking plate (34) is disposed at least at a partial region on a fluid passage side inside the ventilating passage, the cross-section of the ventilating passage is divided by the blocking plate into a plurality of regions, and fluid advancing from the fluid passage into the ventilating passage is prevented by the blocking plate from flowing out from the opening end, whereby a sucking force caused by releasing a negative pressure can be regulated sufficiently, spattering of fluid can be prevented to thus eliminate the danger of contamination and infection to an operator and assuring sanitation, and a structure is simplified.
Soltesz, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,918, provides methods, systems, devices and kits for performing lung volume reduction in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other conditions where isolation of a lung segment or reduction of lung volume is desired. The methods are minimally invasive with instruments being introduced through the mouth (endotracheally) and rely on isolating the target lung tissue segment from other regions of the lung. Isolation is achieved by deploying an obstructive device in a lung passageway leading to the target lung tissue segment. Once the obstructive device is anchored in place, the segment can be aspirated through the device. This may be achieved by a number of methods, including coupling an aspiration catheter to an inlet port on the obstruction device and aspirating through the port, or providing the port with a valve which allows outflow of gas from the isolated lung tissue segment during expiration of the respiratory cycle but prevents inflow of air during inspiration. In addition, a number of other methods may be used. The obstructive device may remain as an implant, to maintain isolation and optionally allow subsequent aspiration, or the device may be removed at any time.
Pivovarov, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,137,393, describes a breathing normalizer for partial insertion within the user's mouth for normalizing breathing patterns, prevention of snoring, teeth grinding, and light forms of sleep apnea. The device includes an outer plate which is positioned external to the user's mouth when in use, an elongated hollow shaft for connecting the structure to a lip plate adapted to be received between the user's lips and teeth, and a generally C-shaped multi-lobed structure adapted for receiving the user's tongue. The device is positioned within the oral cavity of the user in an operative configuration such that the tongue is retained within the multi-lobed structure, the teeth clamp down upon the connector with the lip plate positioned between the teeth and the inner portions of the upper and lower lips. The outer plate further defines a centrally disposed chamber having an inlet tube in fluid communication with the hollow tubular connector for providing an inlet for breathing air. The inlet tube is adapted for connection to a source of gas, such as oxygen, to assist in delivering the gas to the user through the lungs. In addition, the chamber includes a threaded peripheral edge adapted for threaded engagement with a container of medicine thereby facilitating the delivery of oral medications into the user's oral cavity and preferably the delivery of oral medications below the tongue. A medicine receiving chamber is further provided to allow for medicine received therein to be dispensed and/or evaporated in the user's mouth. As a result of proper application of the apparatus, breathing at night is normalized, while snoring, grinding of the teeth, and apnea are prevented, and medications may be simultaneously delivered orally.
Johnson, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,204,252, describes a system, device or method uses surface energy to assist in fluid transport or separation. One example includes removing mucus from a subject's lungs during mechanical ventilation of the subject using a tracheal tube. At least one wicking fluid pickup port is located more distal or more proximal than a sealing device between the tracheal tube and the trachea. Surface energy assists in introducing mucus into the port. A peristalsis or other pump is used to remove from the subject the wicked-in liquid. Ventilation is not impaired by the mucus removal.
Johnson, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,278,429, describes systems, devices, and methods for using surface energy to assist in fluid transport or separation. One example includes removing mucus from a subject's lungs during mechanical ventilation of the subject using a tracheal tube. At least one wicking fluid pickup port is located more distal than a sealing device between the tracheal tube and the trachea. Surface energy assists in introducing mucus into the port. A peristalsis or other pump is used to remove from the subject a substantially contiguous column of the wicked-in liquid. Ventilation of the subject is not impaired by the mucus removal. Safety venting reduces or avoids damage to tissue occluding the port. Other structures may assist in directing the mucus toward the port. Various illustrative examples include single lumen tracheal tubes, double lumen tracheal tubes, two-piece tracheal tubes (having outer and inner cannulas) and bronchial blockers. This document also discusses several other exemplary applications, such as oil/water separation, transportation of a lubricant to a drill bit tip, waste separation and/or solidification.
Boyer, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,851,456, describes an invention is directed to a method of enhancing or facilitating the clearance of the lung mucus secretions in a subject. This invention is also directed to a method of facilitating the hydration of the lung mucus secretions in a subject. This invention is further directed to a method of preventing or treating diseases or conditions associated with impaired lung or airway function in a human or other mammal.
Guiliguian, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,929,741, describes a method for detecting and localizing mucus plugs in digitized lung images, includes providing a digitized lung image volume comprising a plurality of intensities corresponding to a 3-dimensional grid of points, extracting a bronchial tree from said lung image, said bronchial tree comprising a plurality of branching airways terminating at terminal points, providing a model of a 2-dimensional cross section of an airway, selecting an extended point beyond a terminal point of an airway branch in a direction of said airway branch, obtaining a 2-dimensional cross section I of size m×n points from said lung image about said selected point, processing said 2-dimensional cross section I by calculating a local neighborhood function for each point in the cross section and forming a union of all local neighborhood functions, and calculating a correlation between processed 2-dimensional cross section and said airway model, wherein said correlation is indicative of the presence of a mucus plug within said airway.
Danek describes in U.S. Pat. No. 7,938,123, a method for decreasing responsiveness or decreasing resistance to airflow of airways involves the transfer of energy to or from the airway walls to prevent or reduce airway constriction and other symptoms of lung diseases. The treatment reduces the ability of the airways to contract during an acute narrowing of the airways, reduces mucus plugging of the airways, and/or increases the airway diameter. The methods